


Out of the Bag

by Larastiel



Series: Supernarural/Hogwarts [1]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, Supernatural
Genre: Alternate Universe - Hogwarts, Dean Has Issues, Hogwarts, Hogwarts Seventh Year, M/M, Patronus, sam is annoyed
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-09-26
Updated: 2013-12-07
Packaged: 2017-12-27 17:36:52
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 2
Words: 4,382
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/981730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Larastiel/pseuds/Larastiel
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>SPN Hogwarts AU.</p><p>“You still have two days before professor Crowley’s going to move on to the next spell.” Easy for him to say, Dean thinks. Cas had gotten it right during the first days, producing a bloody beautiful wolf. Dean’s actually not sure if it is a small wolf or just an enormous dog, but Cas’s calling it a wolf so he’s running with it. He’s not a fucking scientist. When Dean says nothing in response, Castiel continues “We could try it together, I think I could be more useful, maybe check the library?”<br/>-<br/>Dean has trouble conjuring a patronus. Sam has no trouble figuring out why.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> My choices of houses, patronuses etc. are up for discussion but remember, it's just my opinion. Discussion for the sake of discussion is always welcome. Unbeta'd so sorry, tell me if there's any major fuck-ups. Thanks :3 -Lara
> 
> Last edited 11.4.2014, fixed some of the aforementioned mistakes <3

It’s been weeks. Weeks full of increasingly pitying looks, hushed conversations and mentions of his name. Dean will forever curse the day the Ministry decided that conjuring a patronus should be added to the seventh-year program (thanks a lot, Voldemort), because for the love of all things holy, he just can’t do it.

Every year there’s one or two students that fail to master this spell, and although the teachers assure that it won’t affect anyone’s grade if they succeed or not, everyone just knows who you are for the rest of your time in school. It kinda draws attention to a person - the wrong kind that you want to stay away from. Dean’s seen that happen to some people in the passing years and it’s not pretty. And it’s also not something he want’s for himself. Now it’s just starting to look like he’s going to be patronus-less, as the fucking fog his wand is sprouting out fails to take shape. Again. The lesson ends and he grabs his stuff and flees the classroom in a flash of black, red and gold.

-

It doesn’t take very long for Cas to find him sitting in the yard. Figures; the bastard’s known him for six odd years and always seemed kinda telepathic where Dean was concerned. Being the perfect little Hufflepuff he is, Cas hands Dean his quill that he’d left behind as he sits beside his friend in utter silence. Dean hopes he’d keep that way, but no dice.

“You still have two days before professor Crowley’s going to move on to the next spell.” Easy for him to say, Dean thinks. Cas had gotten it right during the first days, producing a bloody beautiful wolf. Dean’s actually not sure if it is a small wolf or just an enormous dog, but Cas’s calling it a wolf so he’s running with it. He’s not a fucking scientist. When Dean says nothing in response, Castiel continues “We could try it together, I think I could be more useful. Maybe check the library?”

Dean can’t help but snort at that. “Didn’t we do that two days ago? Fuckloads of good that did, I mean the problem isn’t with my pronounciation or technical shit like that right? I just need time to accept that I can’t do it and move on.”

Oh great, now Cas’s frowning. “Nonsense, yes you can. The fault might still be with the memory you’re using. Did you try changing it again?”

“Yes, i did! Many times, even.” He has tried every Sam related memory that he has, his family’s happier moment’s, when he first got to Hogwarts… And nothing. There is, of course, the urge to use some more delicate memories and thoughts that he has proclaimed taboo even inside his own head and shoved them to the dark corners of his mind (and even then he prays that nobody starts using occlumency on him, dear god no). Too late he realises that this isn’t actually _not thinking about it_ and Dean smacks himself on the forehead, he will not use those memories because he’s stronger than this and it doesn’t matter what a beautiful smile Cas has.

“There’s no need to harm yourself, Dean.” Oh yeah, Cas was still here. Shit, he must’ve been quiet for a while now. “Stop frowning Cas, you’ll get wrinkles before you’re twenty-five. I can practically hear you scowling over there.” Dean absently picks at a loose yellow thread on his scarf. “And by the way, you never told me what you were thinking when you got it right. Shouldn’t telling me help, share’n care and so on, all that crap Sam loves?”

“As I previously stated, some things are private and should stay that way. In turn I haven’t asked what your failed memories used so far have been. Individuals are different and work differently, and you’ll surely find the right one on your own. As long as you’re honest with yourself.”

They’re silent for a while, enjoying the rare warmth of the afternoon sun. At some point Castiel decides he’s had enough of Dean’s fiddling, and with a flick of his wand repairs the scarf so it almost looks new. There’s a snort and a muttered ‘perfectionist’ from Dean, but he looks somewhat less depressed. Time for Castiel to up his game a little.

“What are the chances that professor Crowley would believe us if we tried to convince him that your patronus is an amoeba? They actually look a lot like the fog you have produced.”

“My god Cas, how are you such a dork?” This time it’s a real smile on Dean’s face: ten points for Cas. “Sometimes I wonder why we’re friends.”

Castiel bites back the ‘you love me, really’ -response that almost rolls off the tip of his tongue. “You’re not the only one who has yet to succeed; Elsa for example. Don’t worry so much or you’ll get a headache.”

“Cas, I am the only one. Even Elsa, the fucking stupid bimbo badger managed the spell today. Didn't you see?”

“Actually I did, but just hoped you didn’t. Sorry.”

Dean barks a laugh. “Don’t ever change.”

“You should not call people ‘stupid bimbo badgers’”

“C’mon, she still get’s lost on her way to breakfast. Your common room is practically next door.”

“...Just the latter two terms, then. Let’s get inside so we won’t be late and look at your patronus later.”

As they walk back Cas asks in a quiet voice if Dean knows that his friends won’t actually care if he fails in the next class, but all he gets is a murmured “yeah”.

-

“ _Oh my god_ Dean how can you be this stupid? You’re messing with your own head and can’t make a spell work because of it so you come for my help? I swear we are not related.”

Dean has to wince at the explosive tone Sam’s using. Apparently so do many others and great, now they’re causing a scene in the middle of the Ravenclaw common room. Curious fuckers. “Sam let’s talk outside.”

As soon as the door closes behind them Sam’s on it again. “How can you not conjure a friggin’ patronus on your own, huh? From what I heard even Elsa managed just fine.”

“I know that! No need to rub it in but me ‘n Cas have tried everything, I even read a book for crying out loud and it just isn’t working!”

Sam’s got his bitchy-ass face twisted in a mildly sceptical scowl. “Oh yeah? And pray tell, what was Cas’s theory?”

“Something about using a wrong memory, not helpful so I came here ‘cause this thing’s tomorrow and Crowley’s gonna whip my ass if I fail one last time.”

“You do realise Cas’s usually right? About everything?” Sam sighs.

“What part of ‘not helpful’ do you not understand? Gosh, shouldn’t you be the smart one.”

“Okay, look” Sam runs his fingers through his hair and starts pulling at the strands in frustration. “I get that you have trouble with handling feelings and being happy, allowing yourself to be happy -- whatever. I don’t know if that makes you emotionally cripple or just an idiot but that’s something you should talk to your boyfriend about.”

“HEY--”

“BUT, knowing you, I can see that you’re somehow fucking with your own head which is probably preventing you from choosing the right memory and thus, is the core of your problem. I mean, you can’t just pick the last time you ate a really tasty slice of pie and pop a patronus-- please tell me that you didn’t actually think of pie? _Dean look at me_ ”

Oh joy, now he’s blushing. “Shut your cakehole, I got really desperate, what of it!”

Sam has noisily planted his face in his gigantor hands, mumbling something like ‘ _no_ ’, ‘ _adopted_ ’ and ‘ _fucking calcutta_ ’. Then again, it’s hard to be sure with the hands in the way.

Finally, his brother seems to get a hold of himself. “If you really want my advice, I’d say that you just think about it, try to relax, meditate for all I care; but just be honest with yourself, you’ll hopefully find the right memory. Let’s just hope that actually is the error instead of your articulation or something.  
Dean reflexively flips him off. “You know, that’s actually the same thing Cas said.”

“Of course it is”, Sam says and snorts unattractively. “I swear he’s like other half of your brain. The functioning one. But you should really fuck off and go think about stuff, like Cas said. Listen to Cas.” _Get the hint, dumbass._

“Yeah whatever, later bitch. I'll see you tomorrow or something.” Dean’s gone before the ravenclaw has a chance to answer.

-

“So, Winchester, decided to try one last time?”

Crowley has gone through every other student in the classroom already, and so far everyone’s got it right on the first or second try. Some of the patronuses still linger in the room; the book he and Castiel had read said that it’s a sign of a more powerful and/or controlled spell. Cas’s wolf is pacing around them, watchful, and so bright. Dean feels he couldn’t be more proud of his friend, and calms down a little. Some people don’t seem to be so lucky; he swears some kid’s patronus was a large salmon that’s probably now swimming around here somewhere. Some spirit animal.

But Crowley, the bastard, is waiting. He can feel all the eyes on him and absently thinks someone’s probably betting on the outcome. It’s all a bit absurd right now, as the only pair of eyes that matter are looking back at him. The familiar shade of blue calms him down even more, and Dean swears he can almost hear the sentiment behind it.

_I know you can._

Cas had never said ‘if’, he was so sure. Sometimes Dean thought his friend knew him better than he did himself. Cas said he could, so he would, damn it. If just to see his bright smile and feel the happiness of knowing Cas was happy. He thinks about the rumpled hair and last Christmas when he’d fallen asleep on the sofa using Cas’s head as a pillow. Somewhere along the six years worth of remembering the words just fall out -- _Expecto Patronum_.

Dean is still locking eyes with Castiel so he misses Crowley’s gobsmacked face and their classmate’s sounds of surprise. He feels a huge enough shock as he turned to look at his creation, actually fully formed this time. After realising it is a fuckhuge wolf, he tries to keep his expression as blank as possible. Cas is not doing such a great job at that, his face slides from confused to appalled as he watches Dean’s bigger wolf step towards his own. ‘Shit’, Dean thinks as they sniff at each other and his better not be wagging it’s tail. Nobody has said a word. He thinks he heard Cas let out a little whimper, still staring at the patronuses practically paralysed. They both know what this is, they read the same fucking book and had the same lecture in this room, and time stands still for a while.

Same animal. Same species.

Soulmates.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> People asked for a second chapter, and I got something done in a burst of inspiration. Happy (late) Independence Day for Finland and again, if there's any mistakes please tell me and I'll fix it!

It starts with a choked noise; maybe cut off laughter, maybe someone accidentally breathing their own saliva out of surprise. The sound breaks the silence that fell what feels like ages ago to Dean, and after the first breach people begin to murmur amongst themselves. The sudden  whispers last until someone laughs. Dean cannot see who, nor does he particularly care. He’s stuck on the image of two wolves in front of him, afraid to look anywhere else. Or just unable.

The noise-level rises steadily, and people seem to find the situation amusing as laughter and giggling start to take over. Dean’s bigger wolf is apparently done sniffing his new friend out, and starts poking Castiel-wolf’s side with his muzzle. The smaller ball of silver fur drops to ground and rolls to his back. As if given a sign, which was possible since they are sort of animals, Dean’s wolf settles half atop of the other and barks sharply once. _Shit_ , Dean thinks, still in a slightly catatonic state. It’s to be expected that his patronus should exhibit some of his characteristics but damn, did it really have to look so smug and satisfied cuddling his _best friend’s own patronus?_ He’s getting legitimately afraid that it’s gonna start peeing a circle around the other wolf any minute now.

Castiel, still totally frozen as a statue, has been getting more and more anxious-looking with every passing second and burst of giggles. The bark seems to get his brain back online since he promptly turns and literally runs away. The classroom door remains thrown open after him.

 Dean’s left completely lost. The class, naturally, laughs some more and he distantly hears Professor Crowley demanding for attention and _would everyone please get back to their bloody seats this instant._ Castiel’s patronus just fades away when it’s owner hastily leaves the room, leaving Dean-wolf howling after it before disappearing back to whatever ether it originally came from. Numbly Dean wonders if it went after the other creature. Maybe he should follow the example?

 He gathers his things and tries to casually exit the lesson. Professor Crowley keeps his silence and let’s him go, but Dean cannot find Castiel anywhere. He doesn’t show up to the rest of that days courses, either.

 -

 On his way from herbology to lunch (Cas wasn’t there and he never missed school, this was bad _and stop panicking, man_ ) Jo ambushes Dean. She is a year younger quidditch chaser from his house that always talked to (harassed) him in their common room. Dean guesses that makes them friends.

 “Hey Winchester, where’s the boyfriend at?”

 Make that former friends.

 “How did you even--” Dean thinks better of it and speeds past her. “You know what, never mind. Bye.”

Jo jogs to his side. “Like everyone wouldn’t know already? Sharing is caring and that goes for info, too. People got used to a more exciting lifestyle what with all that crap back in the Potter-era, and don’t get me started on how boring it’s been since Gabriel graduated.”

 “I still wonder how he ever managed that”, Dean muses, slowing down to a halt. “Still, we ain’t your amusement, or nobody else’s. Could you just give it a rest?”

 “Ooh, now it’s a ‘we’, is it?”

“Seriously, you wanna start with the kindergarten level crap? I couldn’t even find the dude after he epicly freaked out after Crowley’s class and this hasn’t been the best day for me. To put it mildly. Leave.”

He picks up his pace and heads for the great hall. Behind him Jo’s shouting ‘hey wait’’ while running after him. “I’m sorry about all your man-pain Dean, I really am, but would you just _fucking listen to me_ for a minute? I’m not just making fun of you y’know!”

He stops and whirls around to glare her. “ _Fucking what now?”_

 Before she can answer, someone coughs a little announcing their presence next to them. “Oh, hi Charlie!” Jo chirps to her teammate, and explains “I was just trying to counsel Dean here in light of recent events.”

 “You mean the _Patronus-and-Juliet_ -shitstorm I keep hearing about?” Charlie asks raising an eyebrow at Dean. At this point he would give pretty much anything to have just failed the assignment instead of this.

“Got it in one, my dear Charlene.”

 Dean would really like to go now. “I don’t see how you mocking me and my shitty life is helping, _Joanna Beth_?”

 Jo sighs deep and looks him in the eye. “It’s my job to make fun of you, silly, but the next question would have been ‘are you okay?’ I know you well enough to know of your allergy to feelings, but I’m serious. How are you doing?” Charlie turns to face him too. “Yeah, blondie’s right. Is there anything we can do for you?”

 Shoulders slumping a little, Dean rubs a hand over his face. “Look,” he begins, “ugh… Right now I am just concerned for Cas. He didn’t take it so well, and the panicking and hiding is just-- what I’d like, would be to check him. And it wouldn’t hurt if these random people stopped staring at me like I’m some rare zoo animal. So if you guys don’t have an extra invisibility cloak, then you can do nothing. But thanks, ok?”

 Jo just looks at him with pity bright in her eyes, but Charlie looks thoughtful. “So if I said I saw Cas not 15 minutes ago by the lake, you would be interested?” Just as soon as the words leave her mouth, Dean’s running past them and yelling ‘sorry’ for nearly knocking Jo to the ground.

 “Geesh, look at that boy run,” Charlie laughs. “With that strength, why isn’t he on our team again? The Slytherin game is coming and I still think that Madison girl isn’t the ideal choice for a beater.”

 “Well, if Dean could fly without throwing up and practically passing out of terror, i think he’d be in the team.” Jo bites her lip and gringes. “But you never heard that from me. The official explanation is that he likes to concentrate on his schooling. More like hang out with Castiel while he does.” She grabs Charlie’s arm and starts dragging her away. “C’mon, we can’t miss lunch or we’ll faint when the practice begins.”

 -

Dean sprints around the corners and over some fences (and students) on his way to the lake, though he hasn’t the faintest why the fuck Castiel would be there. The fall is making way to winter, and it isn’t warm anymore by anyone’s definition. He silently wonders if Castiel has been slowly freezing here for hours now.

 When he’s passing a bench out in the yard he runs into Kevin. He’s friends with Sam (same house, same nerdy tendencies and pastimes probably), though the boy’s only a second year. Which is kinda scary, Dean thinks, and makes him feel old. “ _Whoa_ Dean,” Kevin jumps out of his way, a smart move from his sense of self-preservation. “Why the rush? You’ll maim someone. But if this is about Castiel, I heard Ruby mention that she’d seen him loitering around that way-- hey is it true what they say about this morning ‘cause--”

 Dean’s already running away. “ _Shut up, Kevin!_ ”

 There he goes, the small boy thinks as he watches the gryffindor nearly run into a tree in his haste. Typical. There are actual reasons why he likes Sam more than his brother, and the rude-thing is definitely one of them.

 -

 By the lake, there is a tree. Castiel has clearly been sitting under it since he first ran away, no coat no nothing. At this point, Dean’s a little pissed because the tree couldn’t just be some tree on the shore, but it had to be the one over the hill, under a cliff and behind three sets of spiky bushes. How anyone managed to find Castiel here was a mystery since Dean himself ever getting here was a minor miracle.

 He stops in the middle of the offending bushes when he sees the hufflepuff and just looks.

 Cas is facing the water, idly playing with his wand. He has drawn his knees into the circle of his arms to fight the cold air, since he’s wearing just the normal indoor robes. His bag lay abandoned a few feet to his left.

 The weird thing is that he’s literally sitting on a pile of different kinds of colorful flowers. They push out of the ground all around him, creating a weird contrast with the dead grass of the ground. As he stands there, Castiel flicks his wand gently and a new blossom grows in front of him, as the others slowly wilt in the cold.

 Dean realises that staring at someone from a bush could be considered creepy, rape-y twilight-style behaviour and steps forward, trying to make some noise.

 Castiel tilts his head in the other boy’s direction and smiles faintly. “I should have guessed you would find me sooner or later,” he huffs. Dean takes a few more cautious steps towards him.

 “Is that… a bad thing? I mean, I kinda get the vibe that you don’t wanna be found.”

 Turning his head to the lake, Castiel sighs. “I don’t think so. I didn’t know what I should do so I just came here.” He glances at Dean, still in the same bush. “Standing there holds no merit, you could at least come sit here if you came this far.”

 “Is it okay to sit on the flowers then?”

 “Of course, I just made them to compensate for missing herbology.” Dean snorts and plants his ass next to Cas, on a peony or something. _Okay, here goes..._

 “Listen, Cas…”

 The hufflepuff holds up a hand to silence him. “I don’t know what you’re planning to say Dean, but I think you should say it after I’ve told you why I behaved this way. I came here to sort my thoughts about that, myself.”

 Dean mutely nods and lays his hands on his stretched legs. Cas draws in a long breath before continuing.

 “I know you… do the dating stuff and all that, but I have never really thought of that myself. It just didn’t seem important. And you remember what happened when Meg Masters asked me out last year?” Dean nods. There had been a spark of possessiveness from his own mind, but Cas had panicked --very much like today-- and promptly ran off. Dean had laughed until his legs gave out.

 “Well, that’s apparently how I handle these things. I was surprised, and then people started laughing. I left because I felt uncomfortable.”

 So Cas doesn’t hate him, then. That makes Dean feel marginally better ( _he’s a lying bitch, that makes him able to breath normally again_ ). “Can we try the spell again? I just wanna be sure”, Dean asks quietly. Somewhere in his chest hope blooms without permission. Castiel’s answer is a silent ‘ _expecto patronum_ ’, and Dean joins in; funny thing is that this time he doesn’t even have to think happy thoughts to succeed. Huh.

 The two wolves look exactly the same as before, and upon noticing each other their ears visibly perk up. The bigger one jumps in front of the other, wagging it’s tail like a fucking dork, and clearly trying to get Cas-wolf to play. It honest to god licks the side of the other’s face. Why does Dean get the awesome patronus that turns out to be the dumbest spirit-animal ever? Through his mental sigh he watches Cas watching their productions. His face is unbelievably giving compared to the usual mask; Dean sees happiness, wistfulness and heartbreak all at once. It’s too much.

 “Hey, Cas?”

 “What?” Castiel turns his head and Dean kisses him.

 It’s over in a heartbeat, and Dean leans back a bit to observe Cas’s reaction. Now there’s the familiar blank expression, though this isn’t the best time for it’s reappearance. Just when the silence is getting really uncomfortable, Castiel’s face scrunches up and he hits Dean in the arm. “OW!” Hard.

 “You are _straight_!”

 “Ow Cas what the fuck”

 “You-- you like girls like Lisa! And parties... and Bela, you never shut up about them--”

 “Cas dude--”

 "Exactly! I’m a _dude_ you aren’t supposed to do that Dean!”

“What, so now you’re a homophobe?!” Dean is not liking how high he’s shrieking now.

 “Of course not!” Cas hit him again, ow ow _ow_. “But I sat right here for hours thinking that we’d just shrug this off since it’s not possible and maybe we wouldn’t end up awkward or hating each other or, i don’t know, not friends anymore and… I…” He was basically hyperventilating at this point, so Dean had to take his hands and force him to breath.

 “You done hitting me for now? ‘Cause I’m not so into the gay-thing”, Dean had to take a steadying breath, too, “but I think you might be a special case. For me.”

 Cas was still inhaling a bit too hard, but his gaze never wavered from the gryffindor’s face. “You do actually mean that? If not, then I am not through with inflicting violence upon your person.”

 The next moment he’s almost tackled to the ground by Castiel pouncing to kiss him. Somewhere in the back of his mind he hears the crunch of the frozen flowers, and the moment is long, sweet and _right_. Castiel practically climbs into his lap, kissing him hard while fisting his hands in Dean’s hair and shifting closer. Eventually they part, just to press their foreheads together and share the air. Cas looks way too content with himself-- _wait a minute._

 “Did you just use kisses to distract me so you could slide under _my_ winter robes?”

 Castiel smirks a little and shrugs as much as the cloth allows. “It was cold, and you didn’t offer to save me.”

 “Oh god, this is what this relationship is gonna be like, I just know it.” Dean smiles and re-wraps his scarf so that it circles both of their necks. “There, that chivalrous enough for ya?” Castiel, true to form, hits him again. But this time he get’s a gentle kiss, after. Dean has never wanted to keep someone this much, and he really can work around the fact that he’s feeling it for a guy. For Cas, he’ll try his best.

 -

 Kevin Tran is traumatized. He risks glancing across the lake and yep, the two idiots are still at it. The stupid fuckers didn’t apparently stop to think that the shoreline is very long, and water offers no cover at all from the people on the other side of the cove. Now there are even more curious onlookers ogling from a distance and he really wants to shout something about being in plain sight and possibly exhibitionism. _God no._

 Leaving for the castle, Kevin thinks he won’t be able to look Dean in the eyes in near future. But Sam will be ecstatic when he tells him, the freak.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Leave a comment to tell me what you think, brighten my day (or night idk)


End file.
